Archive for the 'Jerry Mchale' Tag Under 'Lakers' Category

The mask worn this season by Kobe Bryant to protect the nose Dwyane Wade broke in the All-Star Game was won via eBay auction by a bidder for $67,100 Tuesday.

The auction was held to benefit the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation's Youth Homelessness Initiative. The primary goal is to have a measurable, positive impact on youth homelessness in Los Angeles.

Lakers trainer Gary Vitti had three new masks made to protect Kobe Bryant's broken nose, and Bryant decided about an hour before the game Tuesday night in Detroit to wear the black-colored one that felt the best to him.

Bryant got three new masks with subtle differences from McHale and tried them pregame Tuesday night before selecting the black one over the other two and two old ones made for him by Marc Fleckner, who makes most of the Lakers' orthotics.

For all the Lakers fans who've grown quite fond of the "Kobe Mask" through three exciting post-All-Star games, even its job isn't secure as Bryant searches for the best way to maximize his performance while not 100 percent.

Lakers trainer Gary Vitti plans to meet Monday with the innovator of the basketball mask, Detroit-based Jerry McHale, to look into possible upgrade from the mask Bryant has been wearing to protect his broken nose.

McHale first introduced the mask into the NBA world for the Pistons' Bill Laimbeer to play with an orbital fracture, and McHale also designed Richard Hamilton's famous mask that helped the Pistons beat the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals and Hamilton continues to wear despite his broken nose having healed.